When the Veterans Center of Menomonie dissolved last year, its assets were transferred to a new endowment fund at the Community Foundation of Dunn County (CFDC). The Veterans Center had done many positive things for the Veteran community of Dunn County, such as helping with financial relief for Veterans in need and providing basic essentials and special gifts from donations throughout the year.
The new fund opened at the CFDC is named The Veterans Fund and was eligible for the WESTconsin Credit Union Challenge, a sponsored special initiative for the CFDC’s 25th Anniversary in 2020. This fund will serve a variety of needs that arise in the ongoing lives of veterans of military service.
For this challenge, WESTconsin Credit Union provided fundholders who opened a new fund at the CFDC during its 25th Anniversary a $1,000 gift donation to the charity of their choice. The total amount sponsored by WESTconsin was $12,000, for a total of 12 new CFDC funds and 12 chosen charities receiving $1,000 each.
This particular $1,000 donation was gifted to the Dunn County Veterans Service Office, per request by the former Board of the Veterans Center. Members of the Dunn County Patriotic Council collaborated and decided to use this $1,000 donation towards an ongoing project that will eventually relocate the Veterans Eternal Flame of Freedom Memorial from downtown Menomonie (Wilson Park/Government Center of Dunn County) to outside of the Veterans Service Office at the Dunn County Community Services Building (3001 US-12 in Menomonie).
In addition to this eventual relocation, plans are in the works for a partial redesign of the Eternal Flame Memorial itself, as well as the installation of benches and landscaping so that Veterans, families of Veterans and community members can visit the Memorial in a comfortable and serene environment. A rededication ceremony may take place later this year.
This project is made possible by the Dunn County Patriotic Council, which includes members of various Veterans organizations including American Legion Post 32, VFW Post 1039, AMVETS Post 72, Post 10424 Wheeler VFW, the Veterans Center of Menomonie and the Veterans Service Commission.
To donate to the Veterans Eternal Flame Memorial relocation project, please contact Veterans Service Officer Greg Quinn at the Dunn County Veterans Office at vet@co.dunn.wi.us or call 715-232-1646.
To donate directly to The Veterans Fund at the CFDC, please visit cfdunncounty.org/give/donate. Use the dropdown menu to select ‘The Veterans Fund.’ A check may also be mailed to The Community Foundation of Dunn County, 800 Wilson Ave, Suite 235, Menomonie, WI 54751. Please include the fund name in the memo line.